Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-01-20
Tar-Parers OF Libertr centcr-

1t has recently been discovered that an err
ror for series Of years has been committed
by the township trustees in leyying taxes up
on the property within the incorporated vii
lage Of Liberty Center not allowed by law,
and such excessive taxes so levied and col
lected from the property within the limits Of
said incorporated village, has been paid into
township treasury instead of corporation
treasury, where it was raised and belonged
when paid in.
The council Of said village and trustees OF
township appointed each a committee Of one
to investigate the facts in the case, and in
due time make report of such investigation.
The men so appointed have made such in
vestisation by searching the township and
county records from the time of the organi-
zation and incorporation of Liberty Center,
and have submitted their reports in writing,
not materially disagreeing as to the facts Of
such error by the township authorities.
Now the question at issue. is the township
having money not belonging to it, what say
the honest upright citizens; will they return
the money by mutual agreement and volun-
tary act ?
The investigation of township books shows
the money already on hand belonging to the
fund for which this illegal tax was raised
from the property of the village corporation,
and will cause no extra levy on the township
to repay the Indebtedness.
When this committee was appointed to
learn the facts as actually existing, it was not
understood that these men for this duty of
investigation were empowered as attorneys,
to prosecute or defend the case in law, but
simply to find out the facts and let the par
ties interested Judge of their duty as onor-
able citizens, who would be as willing and
ready to adjust wrong on one side as the
other.
1t is unnatural supposition that commit
teeman after performing the duty assigned
him, andfnding that our corporation was in
the illegal possession of money that when
collected should have gone into the treasury
of another; that such committeeman should
assume further authority and advise the re-
tention of ill gotten gains, trusting to some
legal technicality to unjustly keep it, which
is certainly lily advised in the eyes of an
honest and Just people, and we have good
reason to believe that the good people of
Liberty township have better counsels among
themselves, and will come to the rescue and
Voluntarily act the part of honesty to man
and adjust the wrong with no thought of de-
fence to keep what is not their own.
If the common law is not clear on investi-
CATION, empowering the township authorities
to replace the money into the treasury of the
corporation, where the money was raised,
how easy and nonexpensive it can be done by
an act of the legislature of only few words
granting such power. Let the matter be
amicably and fairly adjusted. 1t is one of
the first principles of law, where there is a
wrong there is a way to right it, and the only
principle of justice is that it should be done.
The Lord knows that the taxes in Henry
county are high enough under legal authority
without one corporation taking from another
through oversight or otherwise. There is no
charge of intentional wrong in this case, and
willingness to right it will be the best evil
dence of the fact. &C. Young,
Committeeman on the part of the village.